Dear Guests,
Dear Comrades,

There are some moments in life and in the struggle in which the time we have at our disposal is not what we wish it should be. This is one such moment. My time here today is not what I wanted to dedicate to this initiative, particularly given the rich and broad spectrum of participation and the importance and current pertinence of the theme that you will be discussing. But, as you well know, the agendas of electoral campaigns are sometimes ruthless and force us to be present in several initiatives in a single day. That is the case today, and I hope you will understand.

Allow me, comrades, to begin by valuing the presence of all participants and guests. And in doing so, to specially salute the representatives of the invited communist and progressive parties that, in a very short time frame, all of them, responded positively to our invitation to be present here today.

A special salute because we know how difficult it is to leave our countries when we are involved in an important electoral battle, as is the case of the elections for the European Parliament. And a special salute because your presence here today is a concrete expression of the cooperation and solidarity among our Parties as well as an important contribution, in the midst of CDU’s electoral campaign, to approach the special depth such an important theme as that of this seminar.

If there are themes that unite us in the struggle, where we share ideas and define common lines of intervention – and there are many, certainly – the theme of a struggle for peace, against war and militarism is, par excellence, one of them.

Comrades

We have little more than two weeks of electoral campaign before us. In 15 days, the peoples of the countries of the European Union will be called upon to elect the deputies of the European Parliament. These elections are an important moment in our common struggle that always places before us great challenges. We are committed to the strengthening of our parties in this election. But we do not look upon an electoral reinforcement as an end in itself, but as an important condition towards the strengthening of the struggle we wage against the present path of the so-called "European construction" and to open paths for the construction of a Europe of workers and peoples. A struggle we fight within and outside the European Parliament and towards which the European United Left–Nordic Green Left has given an important contribution.

In Portugal, we face this electoral challenge with great confidence. A confidence based on the strong social and mass struggle that the workers and our people have fought, in diverse moments, some of which witnessed by our foreign guests, such as the days of struggle in Guimarães and in Lisbon, during the Portuguese Presidency of the European Union. A confidence that also results from the very significant messages and signs of support we have received from all over the country, as well as the fact that we are engaged in this battle with a Party and Coalition that are stronger in organization and social influence. But this is an electoral battle also marked by unacceptable acts of discrimination against our Party and the CDU, which reveal the discomfort that a real possibility of reinforcement of CDU, in these elections and the two that will follow in September and October, is causing among some sectors. We thing this reinforcement is a fundamental condition to bring our country closer to a rupture with the right-wing policies practiced by the Socialist Party (PS), Social Democratic Party (PSD) and the Democratic and Social Center (CDS), and to affirm the real possibility of a political alternative, first necessary step towards an alternative policy we struggle for in our country. As in other European countries, also in Portugal we face this electoral battle in the context of a spiraling intensification of the effects of the crisis of capitalism. And, comrades, when this most serious of situations would justify that all political forces engage in a serious discussion about the causes, the responsibilities, and the solutions for the crisis we live in Portugal, we witness, on the contrary, an intensification of media maneuvering that tries to remove from the political agenda the discussion of the problems of the workers and people, of the situation of the country and the essence of policies, insisting and mediatizing the accessory, the detail, the attack and personal victimization and the petty party conflict, feeding political abstention and apathy. It is also a very clear retreat from discussing the great issues, as we are doing here today. An escape that tries to conceal the concurrence of positions between social-democracy and the right on the big European questions, namely regarding the militarization of the European Union. A concurrence that brings into the open the class option that presides the deepening of the path of the European Union, at the service of big capital, militaristic, and a directorate of the big powers.On our part, we will not relinquish giving priority to the problems of workers and peoples, and to give visibility to this simple idea: there are different ways of considering Europe. There are alternative visions regarding what should be a real cooperation among peoples and countries in Europe. There are other paths to trail in the construction of the future of our country, of Europe we face this electoral battle in the context of a spiraling intensification of the effects of the crisis of capitalism. And, comrades, when this most serious of situations would justify that all political forces engage in a serious discussion about the causes, the responsibilities, and the solutions for the crisis we live in Portugal, we witness, on the contrary, an intensification of media maneuvering that tries to remove from the political agenda the discussion of the problems of the workers and people, of the situation of the country and the essence of policies, insisting and mediatizing the accessory, the detail, the attack and personal victimization and the petty party conflict, feeding political abstention and apathy. It is also a very clear retreat from discussing the great issues, as we are doing here today. An escape that tries to conceal the concurrence of positions between social-democracy and the right on the big European questions, namely regarding the militarization of the European Union. A concurrence that brings into the open the class option that presides the deepening of the path of the European Union, at the service of big capital, militaristic, and a directorate of the big powers.On our part, we will not relinquish giving priority to the problems of workers and peoples, and to give visibility to this simple idea: there are different ways of considering Europe. There are alternative visions regarding what should be a real cooperation among peoples and countries in Europe. There are other paths to trail in the construction of the future of our country, of Europe and the World. And it is essentially on this matter that the Portuguese and other European peoples will have to pronounce themselves in these elections.

Here in Portugal, several political forces have, systematically, tried to shove us into a trench with those who are against Europe. And a thousand times we have said that against Europe are those who insist on a European Union built on the backs of the peoples, against their rights and aspirations. Against Europe are those who insist ion a European Union which, at a time of severe crisis, does not put forward a single basic measure to solve the problem of more than 20 million unemployed, but is particularly swift and efficient when dealing with its militarization, when deciding its participation in imperialist wars – as in Iraq and Afghanistan – when strengthening its umbilical cord with NATO and investing in military expenditure and development of the European military-industrial complex.

Portugal has been, regretfully, a particularly active agent in this process. Either with the right, or now with the PS in government. It was in the Azores that Durão Barroso, with whom you are well acquainted, hosted the war summit. It was the current prime minister Sócrates who, with a warm hug, celebrated with Durão Barroso the signing of the Lisbon Treaty draft. It is the PS government that has been one of the fervent defenders of the European participation in the Afghan war. And it was this same government that agreed to host the next NATO summit which will approve a new and even more aggressive strategic concept. But they will not go ahead without our firm opposition and struggle, defending Portugal’s foreign policy, observing the principles of the Portuguese Constitution, of the international law, of the sovereignty and self-determination of the peoples.

Comrades and friends,

Looking at Europe in this time of elections and crisis, we can find a common strategy among the dominating forces that join together in defence of this European Union: it’s the dodging from the great political and ideological fracturing issues. A dodging that prevents political awareness, reflection and discussion of real alternatives, thus sowing conformism and apathy – regarding the crisis we are facing, and the path and single thinking they try to impose on the peoples of Europe.

It is precisely against this conformism and apathy that we are organizing tomorrow, that which will certainly represent the biggest mass event of this electoral campaign: the March "protest, confidence and struggle". A March that will display the great confidence with which we face these elections and the struggles that will follow and which will clearly show to the workers and our people that it is in their hands to change this country and Europe.

To us, it will represent a special occasion. A March of all those who during these years have believed, believe and will continue to believe in the strength of a people united in the struggle to change the country and the world we live in. A March which will embody the idea that, with the people’s strength, yes, once again April is possible. And a March, which, to our joy, will count on the presence of some of you who, in other countries of Europe share with us the idea that another world – of peace, progress and social justice – and another Europe – of the workers and peoples – are possible.

In Portugal it is common to say that you don’t thank your friends. And, as we are among friends, I won’t. But following our best traditions, I can assure our foreign guests that we shall try our best to make you feel at home in our country. And we can also assure that, before, as well as after the elections, you can rely on the support and solidarity of this Portuguese Communist Party that wishes to continue to contribute to strengthen our cooperation and friendship and thus strengthen the struggle of the workers and peoples of our countries. I would like to end by asking you to convey to your Parties, to the many comrades who in your countries are waging this electoral battle, our warm wishes of success in these elections. Your success which will be our success. Because, as stated in the Common Appeal for the Elections recently approved in the Cyprus Meeting "solidarity is our strength!"